Raj lawyers' boycott continues at HC over unresolved demands
Jodhpur, Sept. 2 -- Lawyers at the Rajasthan high court's principal seat in Jodhpur continued their voluntary boycott of judicial work on Tuesday and staged a sit-in on the court premises, saying that two of their three demands remained unresolved.
The protest continued despite the Supreme Court Collegium recommending Chhattisgarh high court judge Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal for appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan high court on Monday.
The agitation is being jointly led by the Rajasthan High Court Advocates' Association and the Rajasthan High Court Lawyers' Association.
The two associations had decided to abstain from judicial work from Monday to September 6 over three demands, including the appointment of a permanent Chief Justice.
Rajasthan High Court Lawyers' Association president Dileep Singh Udawat said the Collegium's recommendation had addressed one demand, but the two others remained unresolved.
The associations have demanded that Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma be kept away from both judicial and administrative work.
They have also sought an end to the alleged pressure on subordinate courts for the "targeted disposal" of older cases. Justice Sharma has already recused himself from judicial work until September 5.
According to a modified roster issued on Monday, he will not sit on any bench during this period, and cases assigned to his bench have been distributed among other benches.
However, Udawat said the associations had not yet reconsidered their decision to boycott judicial work and would continue the protest until a further decision was taken.
The associations have also submitted a memorandum to the high court administration seeking the withdrawal of alleged pressure on subordinate courts to meet case-disposal targets. Udawat claimed that several district bar associations across Rajasthan were extending support to this demand.
The agitation comes amid a controversy over allegations reportedly raised by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta in three letters to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant concerning Justice Sharma's functioning. The allegations have not been adjudicated.
On Monday, the Supreme Court collegium recommended Agrawal as the full-time chief justice of the Rajasthan high court.
The recommendation came on a day Justice Sharma opted out of judicial work until September 5, as lawyers in Jaipur and Jodhpur stepped up protests demanding that he be removed as acting chief justice and a regular chief justice appointed. The collegium comprised CJI Kant and justices Vikram Nath and BV Nagarathna. Its recommendation of Justice Agrawal to head the high court comes as the controversy over Justice Sharma's functioning is being considered at the institutional level....
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